When Light Becomes Darkness
by Katan Yue
Summary: Sora has lived a normal life all of his life. When his friend Tifa asks him to help her with a report she has been working with, strange things begin to happen to Sora. What will these mysterious things have in store for Sora? Well, find out!
1. Chapter 1

When Light Becomes Darkness

By: **K**atan **Y**ue

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts and I'm not making any profit.

**Categories:** Alternate Universe, mystery, suspense, supernatural

**Rated:** **M**ature NC17 because of strong violent content, some cuss words, and strong vampiric content.

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**Summary:** Sora is a normal person dutifully working on an investigative report with his best friend Tifa while working a graveyard shift as a DJ for a local radio station. Ever since the love struck Sora starts working with Tifa on a report about heavily mutilated corpses being found in the back alleyways of night clubs, houses, and mansions, our unlikely hero starts getting the faint notion that he is being followed. Little does he know that the report he's been helping Tifa with will be the last of his starting career in journalism.

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**The First Night**: Nothing Out of the Ordinary

_**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**_

_**W**__hen light becomes darkness it is easy for us to loose our way in this world. To find our own path we must keep on fighting with all of our strength to leave a positive mark to this sick-ridden world. Will you be the one to fight for a better world, or will you be the type that does nothing to help our planet?_

_Wandering what to do? You can start by recycling, by polluting less, by turning off the lights you're not using. There are many way for you to make this world a better place for you, your children, and your children's children. So what if you won't be around to see a devastated world. Don't you want to leave a healthy environmental legacy for all of your descendants? I sure do. _

_Not an eco-friendly person, huh? You should be, but if you want to start on a small scale, say hello to your neighbor. Help someone in need. __**Be respectful**__. Take that old saying as your personal motto, "Do onto other's what you would like for other's to do onto you." So what if your neighbor has a different religion, comes from another country, has different beliefs, or likes people from the same sex. Isn't our responsibility to treat other people with the outmost respect? You bet. Remember: "All men are created equal." _

_And speaking of equal, it's time for our audience to give us a call and tell us what's on their mind. You can even give a shout-out to your friends and family if you want. All of this magic comes after these brief messages from our sponsor._

………**click**………

Just the click of a button and the DJ was out of the air. _Whew_……the small DJ heaved a sigh and got up for his routine stretch.

"Good job!" Came the compliment from the other side of the glass panel. Although he couldn't hear the words directly, the job had taught Sora how to read a person's moving lips. This ability came in quite handy when trying to decipher what other people were telling you behind the heavy glass window of the tiny studio.

"You're on in five." Tidus signaled through the window by putting out his hand so that all five fingers were showing.

**Five……Four……Three……Two……One……You're on the air! **

_Good night tonight's last caller. What is your name?_

"My name's Axel. **A-X-E-L**, got it memorized?"

_You bet __**A-X-E-L**__ my friend. What's eating you up tonight?_

"Well, you're right about the whole "respect others" theme, but it pisses me off when they think they are superior to others."

_Why do you say that?_

"Just this morning, I was walking with my boyfriend to school when a couple of old hags-"

_Remember to be respectful, Axel. Tolerance is the key._

"Sorry……old ladies were coming out of a church. When they saw me and my boyfriend together they started making a great fuss over nothing."

_Really?_

"Yes, really. We weren't even kissing or nothing like it, we were just holding hands –like innocently –whatever, to sum it all up, the women there said that we were sinners, that god hated us, and that we were going to go to hell for our sin –I mean, what the hell is wrong with them!? What pissed me even more was the way they were looking at us –like we had a disease or something. They made Roxy cry in rage and indignation. Some Christians they are!"

_I'm sorry to hear such a horror story from you Axel. All of us here at the station hope Roxy is alright_.

"Roxas!" came the shout from another male correcting the DJ sharply.

…………**Click**………

_Good night to you too, Roxas. Pardon my mistake._

_I do agree with you Axel, they had no right to judge you in any way. Is it not Christian belief that only God may judge you? I think so. _

_I want to reprimand all those judgmental Christians out there tonight that think other people are inferior to them. What happened to humbleness, forgiveness, and if somebody hits you, what about putting out the other cheek? _

_Anyways my faithful late night listeners_…_it is now five minutes till midnight and it is time for me to say good bye, but before I go, I want to remind all of you about a special report on clandestine warehouse parties. Be on the look-out for the Deep Dive Chronicles newspaper because it is very important to every person who likes to party and have some fun –no, it is not about date rape drugs but it is life threatening. Ok_…_so enough rambling. Be safe, take care, and try to make a better day every day. _

**5…4…3…2…1…. **

**Off the air!**

_Whew_…

**S**tretching out his tired limbs for the nth time that night, Sora gave a happy sigh. He was done for the night. A call from his girlfriend and all would be all right with his nightly routine. Just a single look at his surroundings and the realization of just how much he loved his job blossomed inside of the petite DJ. He loved being able to communicate his feelings and ideas with the general public. He loved speaking to diverse individuals that could teach him many things that books could not. He did love books, but speaking to people through the means of the radio was much more important to him. Sora had to admit that he loved investigative journalism as well. The thrill of unveiling hidden information that was important to the general public was becoming a priority in his life as well. With so many things going on in his life he rarely got to spend time with his mother. _I'll give her a call later_…Sora planed with enthusiasm before heading out of the radio station.

The radio station's parking lot was very vast and very dimly lit. Unfortunately for him, his parking space was the farthest from the radio station, and although the parking lot was full whenever he got there, the lot would empty-out by midnight.

"Shit…" The semi-frozen brunette cursed under his misty breath. The night tonight was awfully cold, extremely wet, and extremely slippery. How much and how long had it rained since his job had started? He didn't have a clue. That was why he hated his late night working schedule, but he had to admit that it gave him the money to attend the local college in his quest of becoming a journalist.

Between his freezing body and the stinging of his eyes from the cold, Sora noticed how dark the lot had gotten. Some of the lights were flickering out while others were completely out. From the corner of his eyes he saw a shadow. Sora hurried his pace unconsciously.

Lately, he felt like he was being watched. But whenever he turned, whenever he strained his eyes to look clear into the darkness of the city, he saw no one. Now, Sora did not consider himself the paranoid kind. He was far from the loony-toon type, but ever since he had started aiding Tifa with her investigation, he had come to learn the meaning of being petrified.

When he got to his old Honda, Sora fumbled urgently for the keys. His hands shook; his heart raced a mile a minute, and now he could hear steps getting closer and closer to where he was.

Miraculously he managed to open the car door and he quickly jumped into the safety of his vehicle. His instincts told him to reach for the concealed knife he kept under his seat and have it ready in case anything happened. But when he resurfaced from picking up his trusty knife, he realized that everything was silent. There were no steps walking towards him. When he looked around him there was no one to make such a sound.

_I'm going nuts_……!

Warily, Sora rubbed the back of his neck in a meager attempt to relax. He closed his eyes while slumping back into his seat with a heavy sigh. _Was he imagining things? _Clearly the was no one there. Sora had managed to relax enough to drive when…

_**Bzzz**_…._**Bzzz**_…._**Bzz**_….

his cell phone vibrated inside his pocket. He jumped in his seat and began to fumble clumsily for his cell.

"Hello?" He croaked hesitantly.

"Hi baby. Are you done yet?"

The jumpy brunette relaxed considerably after hearing his girlfriend's voice.

"Oh…oh, yeah…I-I was just –you know, it was nothing."

"I startled you, didn't I?"

"Y-yeah…a little."

"Sorry." The voice on the other side of the line apologized sweetly.

"No. Don't be sorry, Kairi. It wasn't your fault."

"Love you so much, babe."

Sora smiled warmly after hearing his girlfriend's sugary love words and he tried answering in the same sugary manner.

"Love you too, honey-bunny."

"Where did you get that old school word, Sora? Hey, are you still up for a movie tomorrow?"

"You know it."

"Which one?"

Sora laughed merrily amused. "Let me get home safe first and _**then**_ I'll think about it."

"Fine, but make it a romantic one, ok?"

"Kairi, I'm going to choose a movie so romantic you'll have to watch-out for cavities."

Laugh. Kiss "See you tomorrow, Sora."

Kiss "See you tomorrow, princess."

_**Snap**_…….

Sora snapped his cell phone shut and started the engine. The familiar, slow purr of the car's engine brought a smile to the edgy brunette. _Ah_……_the simple joys of safety_…Sora thought feeling a lot more relaxed. And just for that simple night, he was happy to feel safe inside of his own vehicle.

_**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**_

**A**t length, Sora arrived home safely. _See_…Sora chided himself despite his ebbing nervousness…_nothing happened. Stop being so paranoid!_ He urged himself. Sora was firmly predisposed to get over whatever was frightening him. He threw his keys in the nearby table with strong willed determination as he prepared himself for bed. On his nightly routine, Sora had the habit of turning on the television before anything else. By late midnight there was nothing exciting to watch on TV, however, those late night infomercials were so boring that they would instantly put Sora to sleep.

With a single click of the power button and the soft, mechanical whirr of the television's electricity, the living room filled with the sounds of foreign voices.

"Late at night –ten at night to be exact- Channel 23 News at Ten obtained an exclusive interview with renowned reporter Tifa Lockhart after her report on 'Deathly Raves'. This investigative report was published on the evening edition of the Deep Dive Chronicles and it caused a great controversy due to its graphic content. Tomorrow at seven, we will have the full interview as a televised special. This is Jane Porter and you are watching Deep Dive Weekly Nights …"

The TV screen turned black temporarily before the barrage of infomercials came flooding into the screen.

Sora dropped his tooth brush in the sink at the mention of Tifa and the report Sora was currently helping her with. Weren't they supposed to investigate a few details before polishing up the report? What about the party they had been invited to? Sora had even put himself out as bait for crying out-loud! _Oooh_…he needed an explanation.

Rinsing his mouth quickly from the minty flavor of his Colgate tooth paste, he didn't even think to follow-up on the traditional floss and mouthwash, instead, his eyes started to look for the cell phone he'd left on the dinette table earlier that hour. When he finally found what he was looking for, he darted straight for the thin red cell phone. Anxiously and bitterly sour at not being informed, Sora flipped his phone open and pressed his finger on the eight key for a quick speed dial.

The phone went quickly to work signaled by the rapid number sequence beeping in the brunette's sensitive ear. After a couple of rings the machine instantly transferred to voice mail.

"Hi, this is Tifa Lockhart. If you got this message it means that I'm unable to take your call. Leave your name, phone number, and a brief message after the tone and I'll get back to you A. S. A. P. Thank you!"

"Shit…!" Sora cursed into the phone after the fifth try. Beeeep the sound prompting a massage rang through Sora's ears like a piercing sonic blade.

"Hi, this is Sora. Give me a call back, ok." He mustered with a patient voice despite his impatience. He shut the phone and gave up for the night.

_**oooooooooooooooooooooooo**_

**I**n his dreams Sora saw nothing but darkness. At first, he saw a mansion materialize before him. _Come_…it would silently plead to the uneasy brunette. Somehow, he vaguely recognized the place –it looked like one of the dwellings he had accompanied Tifa to investigate, but this mansion was different –the colors were off. The solid brick structure had become a cold stony structure. The hydrangeas that covered the humongous house were dried as if poisoned on purpose. The whole house had an eerie feeling oozing from it. In his state of unconsciousness Sora remembered the house where Tifa had taken him. That house had held a cozy feeling despite of its turbulent past. Wide halls and sunlit rooms made the house even more welcoming. They had gone through each room while looking at the official police reports and pictures that showed where the mutilated bodies had been found. The house had decreased in value because of that incident, so Tifa called the local realtor posing as a seemingly interested buyer. But the house in front of Sora –he was positively sure that no one would want it even if it was for free. Yet, despite of that eerie feeling causing his body to freeze with unknown terror, he ventured inside the creepy place.

The floors were creaky and cold beneath his cautious feet. The air reeked of humidity and staleness so much that it choked him. Without realizing, Sora had gone though every room in the entire mansion until he was standing before the last door that would surely lead him out of that godforsaken place. Tentatively Sora reached for the brass door knob. When he looked at his hand he realized that it was shaking uncontrollably as if sensing something demonic behind the last door. With determination set on his delicate features, the petite twenty-two year old closed his eyes and yanked the door open. The stench of blood and decay flared up into his nostrils until it made him queasy. Instantly he shot his eyes open in fear just when a heavy mass of limbs fell right on top of him.

Urgently he fought hard to get the dead body off him until he was able to reel away from the rotten corpse. Curiosity got the best of his actions as he went to investigate the body that had been trapped inside the closet. He recognized the raven colored hair, that unmistakably curvy silhouette. When he turned the body, a horrified sounding shriek escaped his lips.

_It was Tifa_…….

_She was dead and decaying at and abnormal rate_……

_Some of her limbs had been severed, too_…….

**Creak**… Sora realized there was someone else inside the mansion…**Creak**…the floorboards announced somebody closing in on him…**Creak**…and Sora fled out of the room in sheer panic. The reverberating sound of slamming doors was proof of that. Sora kept running like hell until there was nothing but darkness surrounding him.

Inside that darkness, Sora saw the silhouette of a man with indistinguishable features. Everything was engulfed in darkness for the exception of two amber colored eyes. The tawny colored eyes were cold and calculating. They seemed to glimmer with a sadistic glee that made Sora's skin prickle from head to toe. Evil was the only way the trapped brunette could describe such an intense presence, but when Sora tried to flee, he found out that he has rooted to his spot near the mansion's exit. Sora desperately tried looking for another exit.

_Don't fight it_………_give into it_……

Such silent, commanding words seemed to come out from that cloaked figure. Sora became instantly entranced by the soft, alluring voice. Working like a charm, the voice took an immediate effect on Sora who could only watch with tired eyes how the dark figure approached him. With each step from the stranger, Sora's eyes became misted by comforting darkness. Calmness washed over Sora. He no longer felt afraid and he was content with loosing consciousness. Sora remained like that until everything turned black and his eyes opened from that violent dream. His bleary eyes instantly focused on the alarm clock in front of him displaying 3:27 a.m. in large red digits. Then, by some rich benevolent miracle, Sora realized he had stopped breathing. That was why his body had gained enough strength to slowly awaken him from his dream as if urging him to consciousness so that he could breathe again.

That had been Sora's closest encounter with death so far……

_**oooooooooooo**_

**A word from the author: **

Hi!

I'm excited because of this new project and because it will soon be Halloween -.

I want to take the opportunity to thank all of you for taking the time to read this new story. I would also like to encourage you to leave a review so that I can write a better story.

Constructive, respectful criticism is always welcomed. So are new ideas, suggestions, questions, and comments too!

Thanks! Virtual kudos for everyone!


	2. Chapter 2

When Light Becomes Darkness

By: **K**atan **Y**ue

_**12/31/07 **_

_**Happy New Years, everyone!!!!**_

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts and I'm not making any profit. The Song 'Umbrella' belongs to Rhianna and her company.

**Categories:** Alternate Universe, mystery, suspense, supernatural

**Thanks To:** synnesai, CheshireCat o.Oo.O, and pichu10176 for reviewing.

_**IMPORTANT PLEASE READ! **_

**Rated:** **M**ature NC17. Readers _**Beware**_ this chapter contains heterosexual...sexuality. Please, no character bashings. If the chapter is too strong, let me know so that I can fix it accordingly.

_**Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**_

**Summary:** Sora is a normal person dutifully working on an investigative report with his best friend Tifa while working a graveyard shift as a DJ for a local radio station. Ever since the love struck Sora starts working with Tifa on a report about heavily mutilated corpses being found in the back alleyways of night clubs, houses, and mansions, our unlikely hero starts getting the faint notion that he is being followed. Little does he know that the report he's been helping Tifa with will be the last of his starting career in journalism.

_**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**_

**The Second Night**: The Signs of Death.

_**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**_

**T**he next morning Sora woke up tired and wrestles. Every time he closed his eyes the horrid nightmares would return to haunt him. They seemed so real that he would wake up as soon as they began. In the end, Sora did call Tifa several times only to be transferred to her voice mail. By six in the morning Sora's eyes were so puffed and red that his tired, heavy lids finally closed and he fell asleep without even noticing it.

**Bzz**…**Bzzz**…**Bzzzz**…

The cell phone's heavy vibration against the wooden nightstand finally woke him up at ten twenty seven in the morning. His tired body protested heavily for more sleep time; his blurry eyes stung from his need to sleep, but the petite brunette refused. What if it was Tifa calling? With that thought in mind, Sora reached for the phone.

"Hello?" He greeted tired and uncertain.

"Hi! Is Tifa there? Please tell her to drag her ass out here. I can't cover for her all day, you know!"

"Yuffie?" He cringed at the loudness of her voice so early in the morning.

"Yeah…what? Hey, are you still asleep?! Wakeup sleepy-head or you'll be late for class."

"Yuffie! Do you have to be so loud!?" Sora cried-out groggily. One more word from Yuffie's loud mouth and his ears would start to bleed.

"Oh, that's so rude!" She fussed indignantly over the phone. "I'm not loud!"

Sora sighed. No point in arguing with her anyways. "How did you get my number?"

"Kairi gave it to me, _duh-uh_. Hey, so have you've seen Tifa? She pulled a disappearing act on us before a meeting two days ago. I _**really**_ have to give that girl a scolding."

"No, I haven't seen her either. I thought she might be with you."

"Well, I thought the same thing, too. I gave Kairi a call since I thought she might have been to see her, but……"

The silent trail was left there. Both callers knew something wasn't right. Tifa had always been mature and responsible, not to mention that she was an avid workaholic.

"I'll call around to see if anyone's seen her." Yuffie's voice was now calm and analytical. The casually loud, hyper Yuffie had been replaced by a somber one.

"Ok." Sora agreed and pledged an effort to help. "I'll see what I can do."

"Ok…"

"Hey, Yuffie, do you think that maybe she's out with a boyfriend or something?" Sora asked curiously after remembering an episode where Tifa had been anxiously talking about having a date with someone.

"That's silly why would-" Yuffie hesitated. "She never told Kairi or me."

"Oh…one more thing, didn't they tape an interview with her yesterday?"

"No, that was two days ago…"

_**oooooooooooooooooooooo**_

**S**ora, Kairi, and Yuffie spent the rest of the morning searching for Tifa. They called friends and relatives. They called contacts and associated who knew nothing of their fried.

"I'm sorry, Miss. The police department usually waits twenty-four hours before starting a search on a missing person's case after being officially reported."

"But she's been gone for two days!"

"We're very sorry."

"What do you mean you're sorry?! She could be in real danger!!"

"Miss if you don't settle down we're going to have to detain you."

"Wh-what! You're going to what?! But I just- argh! Is anybody even listening!?!"

Yuffie cried out in plane outrage and disbelief. She threw her hand up to the sky in exasperation while pacing madly around a narrow hall.

"C'mon, Yuff, let's get out of here before they lock you up in the slammer." Kairi tried to calm her friend down while Sora tried prying her away from the main desk.

"I can't believe it!?" Yuffie relented after a while. "This is. This is- it's so unfair and typical!" she kept complaining on their way to the car. "What if something happens to her!" she kept on ranting all the way to her apartment.

_Yuff, can you settle down? _

Both Sora and Kairi wondered without saying a word. They were all tired, and hungry, and their friend was still lost. When the exhausted couple left Yuffie in her apartment, the mousy, raven-haired girl was still talking non stop.

_**ooooooooooooooooooo**_

"**I'**m exhausted." Kairi declared flopping down on Sora's bed. "and hungry, too. I just hope she's ok-" She trailed off. Sora sat next to his girlfriend. He took her small hand in his for comfort. "I understand…" He said downcast. And even if it wasn't apparent, there was a silent communication going on between them.

_**5 months earlier**_**……**

_Sora had been in the journalism room proofreading a column for the community college newspaper. He had been so busy with his work that he hadn't heard the soft knocking in the classroom's door. _

"_Is Sora here?" A female voice called from the doorway. Sora lifted his head to meet the voice of the person that was calling him. He was surprised to find a woman there. "Hi, my name is Tifa." The tall, voluptuous woman presented herself in a professional manner. Her earnest dark-brown eyes and her immaculate business attire made her look like a prestigious person. "You're Sora, right?"_

"_Yeah." Sora nodded accordingly. The woman smiled; that's what she'd been waiting to hear. She extended her hand in greeting and gave Sora her presentation card._

_Sora took a look at her presentation card. "You're Kairi's friend, aren't you?" _

"_That's right." She said. "Kairi told me you were interested in journalism. Am I right?"_

_Sora nodded quietly._

"_I've got a job proposition to make you, if you're interested that is." Tifa was a busy person. She didn't have time to beat around the bush. The journalist sat classily on a nearby chair; a placid expression on her beautiful face. "You see, a friend of mine who works at the police station once told me about a wave of murders occurring in nightclubs. At first, isolated murders led investigators to conclude that the deaths were due to possible territorial disputes, maybe even drug dealers. As the incidents became more recurrent the police started to investigate who might be responsible for all those deaths."_

"_I've never heard about this before." Sora tried recalling whether he had heard about the news somewhere –television, newspapers, anything, but nothing came to mind. _

"_Exactly!" Tifa exclaimed excitedly. "The press has not considered these murders to be newsworthy."_

"_What is so special about this report of yours?" Sora asked skeptically. Tifa only gave a pleased smile. Sora was acting like a promising journalist. She saw the potential in that and she wanted to seize it. A person who was willing to always ask the right questions in a profession that demanded the news to be more than average was important in that field. _

"_Well…" Tifa hesitated. There was nothing exceptional about the murders or the number of victims which added thirty-nine in total. Why weren't they important? The reasons were simple. At first the victims had been homeless individuals being found at the alleys of raunchy nightclubs and bars, secondly, the victims were anonymous individuals without any importance to anyone; and thirdly, the police hadn't been able to solve the murders or even develop any prime suspects –everything reeked 'cover-up'._

"_A month ago, a teenager by the name of Olette Summers was murdered in a rave organized on private property. Two weeks ago, a young lady named Fujin appeared murdered in yet another rave organized on a small suburban house. Do you know the difference between their murders and everyone else's?" _

"_No." Sora answered honestly._

"_If you must know, Olette and Fujin are none other than the daughters of the most important business tycoons residing in Deep Dive City."_

"_I haven't heard it in the news lately."_

"_That's simple, Sora. They –and by that I mean the parents of the murdered girls – don't want that information released to the public."_

"_Why?" Sora asked. Why would anyone hide information that could possibly help and alert the general public?_

"_It appears that the girls were high on heroin and cocaine respectively."_

"_How did you get all that information?" Sora wondered out-loud. _

"_I have many connections." Tifa assured with a proud smile._

"_Then why do you need my help?" Sora questioned prudently._

"_Because I need someone young and fresh. I'm a little too old to go partying if you know what I mean."_

"_In that case anyone could do the job."_

_Tifa stifled an amused giggle. Kids were so presumptuous at times. _

"_Not in this case." She confessed. "A single journalist can't do everything. I need someone young , someone who knows what they're doing. Will you help me out? You'll gain something out of this too. If this investigative report becomes a success then you'll be able to become a respected journalist in no time…"_

_The temptation had been too much to resist_…

"_You've got yourself a deal." Sora agreed cheerfully. His bright blue eyes were full of hope and enthusiasm –this would be his first real report._

_A shake from their hands made the deal official._

_**The Present……**_

As Kairi remembered what her fried had told her, she began feeling a little guilty for encouraging her friend Tifa with a report she felt had bad vibes. They both knew that investigating murders was a risky business…but Tifa had been so excited that it had been hard not to give her a little encouragement.

"Bad news are always the first to be arrive, Kai. I'm sure that she's ok." Sora wrapped his arms around Kairi for comfort. The auburn-haired Kairi smiled sadly. "I know…but still…I can't help but feel a little worried. She's my friend, you know?" She rested her head gently against her boyfriend's warm chest seeking solace. Sora tightened his embrace and they remained silent for a long time.

That silence ended as soon as both their stomachs protested from the absence of food. "We haven't had a bite to eat all day." Sora realized. His face was just as red as his girlfriend's. "I guess so." Kairi laughed ashamed of her body's natural reaction to hunger. "We didn't get to see a movie either." She changed the subject from the awkward moment.

"I guess we can settle that." Sora stood up and tugged at Kairi's hand. She smiled brightly back at Sora. Soon the couple was out the door to buy some take-out.

_**ooooooooooooooooooo**_

_**O**__h_…"I'm stuffed!" Sora declared after arriving to his apartment.

"How can you not? You ate six slices of pizza! Six!! Then you topped it off with chocolate cake!" Kairi was certainly impressed. How could her boyfriend eat so much without gaining a single pound? Life was really unfair. "They're going straight to your hips, y'know." She chided him playfully. Sora placed a hand behind his head; he jutted his hips to one side and batted his thick, dark lashes seductively. "Jealous much?" He taunted with a mischievous voice.

"You prick!" Kairi, playing the offended part, threw a pillow from the couch at Sora.

"Admit it, Kai, I've got a better figure than you." He kept taunting after catching the brown colored pillow. "Hate you." She hissed with her arms crossed. She was very sensitive about her body and she didn't take jokes like that too well. Knowing that he had crossed the red thin line this time, Sora stopped his taunting. He snaked his arms around her waist. "I'm kidding, Kairi." He began apologetically. "You don't have to count calories, y'know. Indulge a little." Sora began rubbing soothing circles on Kairi's waist. "And your body is just perfect." Sora buried his face on the curve of Kairi's swan-like neck and placed a gentle kiss on the warm and fragrant skin there. "So can we watch a movie?"

Kairi's anger dissipated after hearing her boyfriend's sweet apologetic words. "I guess we can." She said at last. Sora let go of his girlfriend so that she could reach the movies they'd rented at their local video store.

"Pretty Woman, My Best Friend's Wedding, The Wedding Planner, or Maid in Manhattan." Kairi asked after digging out the movies from the small plastic bag.

"Whichever one you want, babe, it's your choice."

"Kairi rolled her eyes. "The Wedding Planer."

_**oooooooooooooooo**_

**H**alf way though the romantic movie and neither Kairi nor Sora were paying any attention. They were both distracted. Sora had orchestrated a plan of impromptu take-out dinner and a bunch of rental movies picked by his girlfriend's divine hands as a mean of taking some of the stress off both their shoulders. Apparently, Kairi had decided that her boyfriend was doing a very good job on being attentive tonight because she was rewarding him with a little extra something special. Sora hadn't planned this night as a mean to get laid, neither was Kairi, but if she was giving him permission, he wasn't about to say 'No'. Besides, there was something magical and primal about the calling of their bodies. Maybe it had been the proximity of their bodies as Kairi rested between Sora's sprawled legs. Perhaps the fragrance of their bodies had infused their hormones with the unbearable need for release after a stressful day. Whichever the case was, they found themselves in an ardent situation.

Neither gave much though as to why they were more horny than calm. All that Sora could recall was that Kairi had started absently rubbing his thighs up and down in slow, languid motions that were making him harden. In return he started kissing, biting, and sucking at Kairi's pale neck. She rewarded him with an earnest giggle after creating and unbearable friction between their lust-filled bodies.

From there, their actions got even more intense. Sora's hands wandered beneath Kairi's pretty pink dress. He massaged the soft skin of her inner thighs with eagerness; their breaths becoming short and more rugged with each passing second. When the skin of her thighs was not enough, he caressed her through her panties.

"Ah…!" He took pleasure from the sound of Kairi's frantic cries as a good sign that she was giving him plenty of encouragement. He enjoyed the way she tried to press her legs close; the way Kairi's thin arms snaked around his neck. He loved the way she arched into his indecorous little touch with such delicate gracefulness. It was all delicious. But at the same time, it was not nearly enough to satisfy Kairi or himself. Sora decided to snake his hand under the elastic of her black cotton panties to massage the hot, humid mounds of flesh between her legs. Her body writhed in pleasure while the cries coming from her thin pink lips were urgent and needy. She wanted more, she need it just as much as her boyfriend did.

"Sora…!"

Sora was taking his time; his own primal needs were being pushed aside in place of his girlfriend's. He slowly rubbed the pink little nub of flesh between Kairi's clamping legs. He repeated the motions slowly, then rapidly, then slowly again until she was moist enough to place a finger inside of her body. Kairi's body arched involuntarily from the manual stimulation. She felt the slight burning of the finger penetrating inside her body; moving inside her and rubbing against the fleshy walls searching for something more precious. Sora made an effort of stimulating he body further with the aid of careful ghost-like kisses placed upon her burning, sweaty skin. "Kairi…" Sora whispered huskily against the shell of his girlfriend's sensitive ear. It was interesting at how promising the night seemed to be.

They were so engrossed in what they were doing that neither was able to hear the heavy vibration of Sora's cell against the dinette table.

**Bz**……**Bzz**…**Bzzz**…..

The teal colored cell phone kept vibrating loud and clear with great urgency against the wooden table. The name 'Yuffie Kisaragi' was displayed in the cell phone's outer LCD screen, but the couple was so lost in the realm of intimacy that they were unable to hear the distant sounds of the call.

On the other end of the call, Yuffie was cursing her luck. Her hands were sweaty and trembling, her breath was rugged, and her mind was trying to assimilate too many things at once. How would she say it? How would she break the news to her friends? It was impossible not to panic.

Seeing as Sora wasn't answering his phone any time soon, Yuffie decided that maybe Kairi would be sensible enough to have her cell phone on in such a dire time. Maybe Kairi had the common curtsey to answer her cell phone.

_"You can run into my Arms"  
"It's okay don't be alarmed"  
"Come into Me"  
"There's no distance in between our love"  
"So Gonna let the rain pour"  
"I'll be all you need and more"  
"Because…"_

"_When the sun shines"  
"We'll shine Together"  
"Told you I'll be here forever"  
"Said I'll always be your friend"  
"Took an oath"  
"I'mma stick it out 'till the end……"_

The catchy tune on Kairi's cell phone echoed through the tiny space of the living room. Kairi had fallen in love with that tune; it was romantic, it was upbeat, it was just suited for Kairi's extra girly taste.

"_OMG, Sora, it's Rihanna's new CD!"_ She had cried excitedly during a trip to a music store. _"I love her music! OMG, I have to have it!"_ She had squealed gleefully over her new acquisition. After that, Sora recalled hazily, his girlfriend had gone into a Rihanna frenzy and downloaded all of the songs into her sleek, coral pink Sony Ericsson cell phone. How ironic was it that, _**that**_stupid little ring tone would be interfering with their intimacy. Sora felt the need to smash the phone. The ring tone kept on singing; a distant sound calling them back from their lust-filled pleasant realm into the clutching hands of reality.

"I have…I have t-to go check…" The intimacy spell was broken, shattered into a million scattering pieces. Kairi was a breathless wreck; a beautiful, apologetic crimson blush lighting her face with uneasiness.

"Do you have to?" Sora's face was a detailed mask of irritation and frustration mixed in one.

Kairi exhaled a shaky breath, she wasn't exactly thrilled to stop, but what if the call was _really_ important, after all, they had been trying to contact their friend Tifa. What if it was her call? "It might be Tifa…" She raked her hair back into a messy ponytail before standing up, adjusting her dress, and dashing for the phone that lay inside her purse next to Sora's cell phone.

"Yuffie called you…" Kairi noted with worry. Sora rubbed his face with his hands in frustration. He _truly_ hoped that Yuffie's call was _very_ important.

"Hi, Yuffie, it's me…"

This time Yuffie's voice was low, uneven, and breaking. Her usually bubbly attitude was gone. Kairi could detect something more in her voice but she couldn't recognize it.

"Oh…Kairi…thank god!" Yuffie breathed quite relived for just a tiny second. Sadness again overwhelmed Yuffie and a fresh wave of tears washed over her. "_Tifa'sdead_…!" She sobbed loud enough for Sora to hear over the phone. Kairi froze.

"What happened?" Sora's expression did a double retake. _Was Tifa dead? _He'd never seen his girlfriend so stunned and Yuffie would never play a trick like that. "Oh…my…god…" Kairi breathed disbelieving into her phone "it can't be…"

_Ooooooooooooooooooooo_

_**To be continued.**_

This will be that last update for the year 2007. I can't believe we're starting a brand new year!

I'm so excited. Wishing everyone a blissful, healthy, and wealthy year full of peace and hope,

Katan Y


	3. Chapter 3

When Light Becomes Darkness

By: **K**atan **Y**ue

_**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

**Categories:** Alternate Universe, mystery, suspense, supernatural

**Rated:** **M**ature NC17

_**IMPORTANT PLEASE READ! **_

Readers _**Beware**_ this chapter contains rape and other dark themes. Because this story has grown more mature and more complicated I decided to post the revised, edited, and tame version of the story for FF. To find the original you can go to my home page (just click the home page link in my profile), or go to AFF (still pending to post the fic on AFF). Sorry! If you don't want to review I'll understand! . 

_**Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**_

**Summary:** Sora is a normal person dutifully working on an investigative report with his best friend Tifa while working a graveyard shift as a DJ for a local radio station. After Tifa's unfinished report is aired on national television, she ends up missing. Sora, Kairi, and Kairi's friend Yuffie, start a search party only to find out the she has been killed. What will happen know? How will everyone deal with the shocking news?

_**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**_

**The Third Night**: Darkness (Edited Version)

_**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**_

**T**he ride to the hospital had been painfully silent. Currently, Sora was pressed to cold, white tile of the hospital's morgue. He was thinking about the almost prophetic nightmare he had had the night before. Had it been a sign? Hmm…provably not. Tifa had gone missing a day before the nightmares, so it was impossible that everything would be connected. He hadn't even seen the body. Only one person had been admitted to identify the mutilated body. The victim's parents hadn't had the courage to enter and see their daughter's dismembered body for the last time, instead, Yuffie had volunteered to id the body. It was very ironic and very suiting that the long, round tunnel leading to the morgue's doors seemed to extend to infinity as he watched with saddened eyes how his girlfriend Kairi was tearing herself apart trying to console her friend Yuffie as well as Tifa's family. Sora stood there, alienated, frozen, and stupefied against the cold wall of the hospital's basement level. He didn't know what to do or how to react. The terrible news had turned their sorrowful gathering into a close knitted conglomerate of close relatives and friends.

Sora did not qualify as a close friend. He had met Tifa only five months prior to the tragedy. Tifa's parent didn't know him; they didn't even acknowledge his presence in the room.

For once, the petite man wanted to feel their true pain. He just simply couldn't compare. What was five months but a little spec on the continuous, never ending line of time? What was five months of getting to professionally work with Tifa against the lifetime of her parents –or the eighteen odd years of friendship between Kairi, Tifa, and Yuffie. Those five months could not even begin to compare. Five months was not enough time to forge a real bond between anyone, Sora realized with great guilt. And so he watched from afar, from his spot against the wall, the real pain of losing someone close.

And the brunette had suspected it for about three months now; the close bond between Tifa and Yuffie –a _**really**_ close bond. He noticed the tender way they talked to each other, the way Yuffie kept in constant touch through calls from her cell phone, the way she was crying for her now. Yuffie had lost more than just a lifetime friend. She had lost a longtime partner……and Sora felt really bad for the family and the friends that Tifa had left behind, the friends and family she would _never_ see again.

"I'm taking Yuffie home...ok."

Kairi's soft tone was apologetic and hesitant. Her dark, amethyst eyes reflected a need for approval as she looked at Sora with a pleading expression. Sora nodded, he gave her a knowing smile because he completely understood Kairi's need to comfort her best friend in a time of deep sorrow. What else could he do? Yuffie needed someone's support and he barely knew her.

"It's ok, I'll drive Yuffie's car." Kairi read her boyfriend's mind even before he tried digging for the car keys in his pocket. Sora nodded again and concluded that it was for the best. Yuffie looked completely devastated. It would be wise to keep her under surveillance until she was more emotionally stable. A pang of guilt resurfaced once again and the slender brunette wished he could have done more than just stand there like a spectator with nothing to say. He trailed after his girlfriend and Tifa's parents as they left the morgue with great painstaking sorrow. He followed the group until everyone dispersed to get to their respective cars, Sora included.

"I'll call you when Yuffie gets better." Kairi mouthed silently as she led Yuffie to her ruby colored Chevy Tahoe. She flashed his boyfriend a sympathetic smile before going her own way.

_**ooooooooooooooooooo**_

Sora exhaled a deep exhausted breath as he got inside his small vehicle. He rubbed his tired face with his hands before resting his head on the ice cold, rubber clad steering wheel. He needed a rest. He was definitely tired. His brain had left for a short break and he was now a walking, breathing automaton.

"_**Got'cha!"**_ A cool detached voice spoke from the rear seat of Sora's car. When the startled spiky-haired brunette's brain registered the alien voice, he also registered a sharp physical pain accompanied with it. His head felt the pain of a strong and brutal blow, his head swam and his vision blurred from the impact as nausea welled-up.

_Don't give up, Sora_…

_Not_…_now_……

_**Look**_……_**at**_……_**his**_…_**face!**_

He tried focusing on the rearview mirror to see if he could properly distinguish his aggressor. He knew his body was in terrible pain yet he tried to focus. His eyes squinted, he creased his brows in urgent concentration, but it was all in vain. His body gave up and darkness consumed him. His body was too tiered to resist another hit.

_**oooooooooooo**_

"_He was a difficult one to get_…_"_

"_I thought you were the best_…_"_

"_Heh_…_I_ _**am**__the best_…_"_

"_I__t sure took you a long time_…_"_

"_He is very resilient_…_"_

It was the ugly intense pain at the base of his skull that made Sora wake-up to the familiar voice of his raptor and the unfamiliar voice of another man. They were too engrossed in a competitive conversation with each other to realize that their captive had already awoken from his forceful sleep.

"_Both Xemnas and Ansem will be pleased."_

"_I can't wait for the munny to be deposited in my bank account back __at Port Royal"_

"_Luxord_………_you never change_…_never have_…_never will_."

The cold detached voice sounded annoyed, unemotional as always. The tone of aggravation was intended for his greedy colleague who was a flirt, a thief, a scoundrel, a gambler, and a drunk. He knew full well that as soon as Luxord had money deposited to his bank account, his friend would squander it on whores and cheap rum.

"_Hahahahaha!" _Luxord gave a hearty laugh _"If I had a heart, this is where I'd die from laughter."_ He quoted his companion's usual remark.

"..._Indeed_..." The reply was curt and bitter.

"_Oh_..._c'mon mate!"_ He growled "_You know this time it'll be different. I want to impress that naughty, savage kitten_..." The blonde man gave a low appreciative whistle wile motioning the curves of a woman's body with his hands.

"_You mean Nymph_..." Luxord's companion corrected unimpressed by his choice of women _"_..._Larxene, the Savage Nymph –__**not **_the_savage kitten." _

Luxord rolled his eyes and kept quiet. No point in arguing with a cold blooded lunatic. He watched his companion stare at the cold frozen moon. _How fitting_, Luxord thought, _he is just like that moon; cold and indifferent –that bastard_.

I wasn't until a pained groan reverberated throughout the inside of car that they realized their captive had finally awakened.

"_Shit_..._!"_ Luxord cursed under his breath. He kicked their captive into unconsciousness and yelled at the driver. _"__Lexaeus…! What the fuck is taking you so long!?_ _Hurry-up and get there."_

_**ooooooooooo**_

The second time Sora woke up he had been tossed in a cold, dingy lit room. The sound of dripping water leaking from a broken pipe greeted his sensitive ears upon awakening. The vertigo of a probable concussion made everything spin and blur before his eyes with sickening repercussions. There was a moment, short after his awakening, that the pain racking his body forced him to throw up. The nasty acidic vile burned his nostrils and throat with a vengeance. The entire content of his stomach had been spilled before him as the warm putrid liquid soaked into his clothes. Sora was disgusted with himself but he realized that there was no time to cry or panic. His instincts took over his body. With the little strength his body had managed to gather from sleep, he rolled with a loud _thud_ onto the creaky wooden floor. His body ached a thousand fold after the fall, yet there was no time to feel pain, he needed to get out of wherever he had been imprisoned.

The manhandled brunette dragged his tired body all the way to an open door before he was discovered.

He was caught by a hooded member that had happened to walk by there on his way down to the basement. The voice was that of another male, old and cynical.

He looked at the captive with disgust gleaming from his analytical golden eyes.

_The vomit, how disgusting_…

The hooded stranger took a deep breath and held it as he walked into the neglected room. He prodded the boy with his left foot before grabbing the kid and slinging him over his shoulder to toss him onto the stained mattress.

Sora fell with a loud groan. Everything ached and blurred as he bounced into the springy mattress.

"_You better stay put kid_…_"_ The blonde old man said with weariness _"The boss will see you shortly."_ He walked towards a rotting wooden dresser to pull out a brown glass bottle from one of the drawers. A clean white handkerchief was produced from the old man's pocket before he poured some sort of liquid into it. He watched their captive struggling to get out of the bed with his slow pained motions. _"You know_…_"_ an exasperated sigh escaped the blonde man's thin, chapped lips. _"You are just like that bitch –stubborn and persistent_…_Heh_..._still, we finished her off_…" Hollow sounding steps made their way to the bed resting near a boarded window. Smooth leather gloves dug their way into matted brown hair caressing the skull with gentle motions before yanking on the hair with force.

"_The good thing_…_"_ He said with a sadistic tone as he placed the white cloth over Sora's face "…_is that you aren't as loud as that cheap whore, otherwise, I would have pulled out your pretty little tongue like I did with her's_…"

Amused golden eyes watched with sadistic enthusiasm at how his petite captive wrestled against the sleep inducing substance until his eyes closed and his body fell limp against the mattress.

_**To be continued…**_

****

**_To find the Un-edited version of this story just click on the homepage link in my profile. Thanks._**


	4. Chapter 4

When Light Becomes Darkness

By: **K**atan **Y**ue

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts and I'm not making any profit.

**Categories:** Alternate Universe, mystery, suspense, supernatural.

**Rated:** **M**ature. NC17 for Violence, Sex, and Profanity.

**Summary:** A string of ghastly murders becomes and enticing story for journalists Sora and Tifa to uncover. They go behind the scenes of the deadly rave parties to uncover the culprit behind the massacres. However, their investigation turns deadly when the authorities find Tifa's dismembered body and the protagonist is thrown into a preternatural world from which he can't escape.

**Author's Note:**Wow, it's been so long since I've written anything. I apologize for the long wait. Also, I want to thank everyone who took the time to read and/or review this story's previous chapters. _**Thanks Everyone! **_However, a special gratitude is extended to KaUiA and pichu10176. Both of your reviews have made this chapter possible.

**The Fourth Night**: A Night of Oblivion

* * *

**T**he late night sky appeared darker and more ominous than ever before. To the naked eye, the night held no special significance, but to the preternatural community, the nightly air was thick and heavy with the stench of death. The night felt like a thin veil shrouding the skies with a palpable sense of tension and anticipation. Those who had gathered before the council felt the need to clutch the edge of their seats from the heart-stopping anxiety that gnawed at their very core. They rarely gathered in events as big enough to fill a whole auditorium and this fact alone made the sense of uneasiness grow all the more blatant. All spectators had been summoned a compulsory summon that night. Each and every member of the special council, the respective leaders of the triad, and law-enforcing agents had been forced to appear by the special summon of the Vampire's ruler, the Regent(s). The respective leaders of other small clans had also been issued mandatory summons.

That night, all members had gathered inside the cold and dark auditorium built inside the luxurious Memory's Skyscraper. The night had started out uncomfortably quiet and only the rain's pitter-patter created a dull, fixed rhythm against the hard concrete surfaces of the deserted downtown area. Occasionally, the peals of thunder would illuminate the sheltering sky ten-times brighter than any artificial neon light.

Those who had gathered early were impatiently waiting inside the dimly lit, cold theater. Then, as the night progressed, the summoned guests arrived little by little, and soon the crowding theater buzzed with nothing but the sounds of low and steady gossip. There were rumors of a traitor being sentenced and executed by the high council. The details were tightly sealed and every attendee was certainly expectant. Little information had been released about the gathering, yet there was something certain about this particular assembly, if the most powerful and influential vampires were present, then the probability of trial for treason was high.

_Did you hear_…?

_Why did the prince summon us?_

_I heard the trial is for treason_…

_No, they say someone was captured_…

_Was it someone who broke the rules?_

_Most probable_…

_No, there might be an execution tonight_…

_Indeed, the smell of death is very powerful tonight_…

The low murmurs filled the large, exotic theater with waves and waves of indistinct conversation. Even if the attendees were gossiping quietly amongst themselves, the whispering voices became like a single roar to a vampire's acute hearing. Everyone appeared engrossed in light chatter when the lights inside the theater became unbearably bright.

* * *

**O**utside, several guards were carting two bodies inside the grand building. One of the two captives was awake and struggling against two larger vampires known simply as berserkers.

"_Let me go you fucking prick!"_ the captive demanded appalled by the rude behavior of the dimwitted armored executioners.

"_Can't you hear, let me go!" _But, berserkers didn't listen.

"_I said, let me go_!"

To everyone, berserkers were huge, and bulky, and strong. They had all the strength in the world to compensate for their lack of brains and motor skills. Berserkers only listened to their masters –those who created them by feeding them vampire blood without fully converting them to vampires. Berserkers were loyal and had a one-track- mind. They were perfect for menial tasks and the captive knew it. He had been around many a berserker to know that it was impossible to struggle against them. It was only now that the captive stranger realized the irony of his situation.

"_You __**FUCKING**__ assholes! Let him go!"_

Yet, it was odd how he was trying to struggle against the iron grip of the unyielding sentinels. He knew it was futile, but there he was trying with all his might to wrench free from his captors' grasp. Even if he could miraculously escape from the berserkers' grasp, he knew he couldn't fight against the strength of five massive guards while protecting the boy beside him. He was aware of his predicament but it did not stop him from trying.

"_He's innocent!" _He yelled desperately trying to plead his case.

Tears of blood and salt were running down his tattooed cheeks. His green eyes stung and his composure was far from the calculating, cool attitude he had once possessed. The once proud man was now reduced to sobbing and begging like a child in front of an un-responsive berserker. The captive had been reduced to the lowest state imaginable, but he wasn't so much as begging to an underdeveloped being, he was begging to the dark figure perched above the ledger like a gargoyle –the one who controlled the berserkers.

"_The moment you betrayed us you sealed your own fate."_ Zaix's cool, detached voice came from above.

And the captive watched with an afflicted, impotent expression as his sleeping companion was dragged into the grand building. He became desperate once again and thrashed even more violently than before, but to no avail. The long hallways were narrow and dark and they were filled with the wretched scent of the dead. _God_, if there was a god, or any merciful _Goddess _who could take some pity upon the damned, then to that god or goddess he wished that they could save the most important person in his life.

"_**I**__ never thought __**you**__ could make the perfect scapegoat for my plans. Not even the fates were able to foresee the day when __**I**__ would rule over __**everything**__."_

The captive's ears perked at the sound of the familiar voice. _"Xemnas"_ the captive spat bitterly and with resentment. Xemnas should be in his place. He should be the one being carried off to the executioner's row branded as a traitor.

"_You think you are superior to everyone else, don't' cha. No one's worth your bloody time. Ha, well_…_enjoy this power trip while it lasts, Xemnas. Ride this little surge of power while you are still able because the fates didn't give you very long as Regent. Somehow…Somewhere…sometime_…_someplace_…_the great Xemnas made a fatal mistake that will come to bite him in the ass."_

Xemnas's smile tightened as he clenched his teeth. He wanted to beat the snot out of the babbling idiot, but soon he would have his revenge.

"_I have disposed of all my enemies." _Xemnas taunted the redhead captive with a sneer.

"_I have secured __**my**__ throne and gained the support of millions in the process. There is no one who can stop me now."_ Xemnas boasted proudly. _"No one can hinder me now, Axel. You know better than anyone else how I work and operate."_

_Axel spat on the floor because he couldn't spit into Xemnas's smiling face._

"_Yeah, I would now, wouldn't I?"_ The fiery redhead knew full well how Xemnas operated, because he had become nothing more than a victim to that cruel bastard's twisted schemes.

"_You kill people and frame your comrades_…_"_

"_That is right my friend."_ Xemnas's cruel smile only widened.

_I am not your friend!_ Axel's green eyes shone with a hatred and defiance that overwhelmed his usual stoic self. He never would have thought that vampires could feel such strong emotions despite the fact that their hearts and souls had died. He was bitter now. Axel was behaving like a wounded animal and Xemnas found pleasure in watching others degrade themselves to the lowest states imaginable.

"_**I HATE YOU XEMNAS!" **_

Axel's words could have killed if spoken threats could injure. Unfortunately, words could do no damage to the undead.

"_**I WISH YOU A PAINFUL DEATH." **_

Xemnas looked down on Axel and scoffed. He felt all mighty now and no one was going to stop him. He was almost ready to begin his charade in front of the vampire society. He walked towards center stage but was held by Axel's urgent call.

"_**Hey, wait!"**_

Xemnas turned around; a casual expression displayed for Axel to see.

"_Let him go. You know Roxas is innocent. I-"_

"_It is not for me to decide what his fate will be." Xemnas reasoned._

"_Wait, I- !"_ And even before Axel could finish speaking, Xemnas was already on stage.

**T**he moment the lights became bright and the curtains were drawn, everything became eerily silent. Everyone held their breath as the trial commenced.

"_Brothers and Sisters united by the immortal blood of our ancient ancestors."_ Xemnas began charismatically, _"We are gathered here tonight in sorrow to mourn for the death of my other half, my twin, my beloved brother. Together, we were chosen to hold full responsibility for all members of the night's inhabitants. Together, we have guarded vigilantly over all of your safety." _

The Prince paused a moment to wipe a few blood tears from his face. He took a deep breath and then continued with his dramatic speech_. "But tonight, I mourn for the death of my beloved brother, Ansem." _

Everyone gasped in horror at what Xemnas had just announced. How could it be? What motives would anyone have to kill the Vampire's necessary regents?

"_As you are all aware, there was a rumor about End Of The World being attacked by a group of un-known enemies. The devastation caused at End Of The World was completely irreversible. Many kin died in that devastating attack, amongst them, was my twin brother Ansem."_

Everyone gasped in horror once more. Xemnas's face expressed pain and suffering that was convincing enough to fool everyone. But deep down, Xemnas was sneering at those gullible fools. They really didn't now a thing.

"_My brother died that day_…_on that fated attack. I kept this tragedy under-wrap until I could recover from the pain of losing my dear, beloved brother, and until a very through rough investigation had taken place."_

Xemnas brushed a few more tears from his red eyes and brought his clenched fists to his chest in agonizing pain.

"_Everyone here can understand the chaos it would have caused if the news of my brother's sudden death had been released prematurely. We needed to find the culprit responsible for these horrendous crimes and bring them to justice."_

The curtains were drawn even wider and the two captives were dragged to the center of the stage. Axel was still struggling within the Berserker's grasp, and Roxas was beginning to wake up.

"_Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you tonight the two people responsible for my brother's death."_

Xemnas pointed to them and everyone was instantly shocked by who the killers were. They only recognized Axel as a member of the Special Council Organization XIII. Everyone knew that Axel was a wild asset that worked for his own convenience, but the audience would have never pinned him as a rouge vampire, because for the last two hundred years, Axel had worked for the benefit of the vampire society.

"_I am but a servant to the law that binds everyone and everything vampiric. I am a public servant to you all. I'm am bound by the same rules and that is why I have gathered everyone here tonight. We are gathered as a whole to pass judgment, by fair trial, to these killers in accordance to our laws. In this trial, I will show you proof that Axel was responsible for my brother's death. As a servant of the law, I shall leave the decision to you as a society. I leave this matter to your discretion and to your fair judgment. Please sentence them wisely, justly, and accordingly." _

_**

* * *

**_**T**he lights dimmed and the evidence was presented to the spectators. The video footage that had been shown to the prominent vampires had placed Axel at the scene of the crime. Everyone knew he controlled the Dusks and Assassins. Both of these were mindless assassin units created with no other purpose but spying and stealth killing. Dusks and Assassins had littered the entire castle at End Of The World. Axel was shown leaving Ansem's chamber with a bloody dagger in his blood-stained hand.

The evidence was as clear as daylight. Axel had killed the Prince Ansem. The treacherous man had to pay for his crime. Such a gruesome crime could not go unpunished by the Vampire World. As the summoned deliberated Axel's fate, another matter arose. The young fledgling, Roxas, was being tried not for being and accomplice to Axel, but because he had been created without the Law-enforcing Agent's consent. He was a bastard fledgling that had not even transformed fully. These types of failed vampires were given the derisive name of 'false bloods'.

False bloods were given such a name because their vampiric blood was so diluted that they appeared almost human. False bloods, commonly known as thin blooded vampires could see the sun, they possessed minimal vampiric strength, and although they aged much slower that a regular human, those thin blooded vampires still aged. There were even rumors out there that false blooded vampires could also reproduce. For that reason, thin blooded vampires were persecuted and killed mercilessly. False blooded vampires were a shame to the full-fledged vampire society. They were proud of the original legacy and power. Those were the reasons why thin blooded vampires were not allowed to live.

It was said that a vampire's thick, red blood was a marvelous and magical liquid. That the red liquid of eternal life was as mystical as it was also unpredictable. Many a people had drank that alluring, damning liquid in hopes of achieving eternal life, but that precious red liquid would produce a certain, unstable change in the body. To those lucky enough to attain a pure bond, a vampire's blood gave the full gift of immortality. The true vampiric blood endowed them with supreme power to use the sealed arts of hidden magic as well as insurmountable physical strength.

Those special humans who were able to attain a pure blood bond were called True Bloods. These special individuals were considered to be the highest, most powerful vampires of the entire lineage. These creatures were coveted for their strong blood. Anyone willing to feed off a true blood and eat their flesh could become a pure blood, or so the legend told. Despite this knowledge, many individuals were scared of facing a true blood vampire because even the youngest true blood vampire was several thousand years old and they were very hard to kill.

These coveted and feared creatures were the truly immortal and the truly powerful, but there were only a handful of _'true vampires'_ in the entire world. But in those few numbers there was insuperable strength. They protected each other zealously from outsiders. These high-ranking vampires possessed an overwhelming aura that would set them apart from the regular population. They could instill the ultimate fear.

Sephiroth was the most renowned True Blood known to all vampires. He exuded a macabre and a powerful, enticing aura that captivated and terrorized everyone around him. He carried himself regally and did as he well damned pleased. Usually, pure bloods would choose a quiet life away from all the rest. They didn't trifle with anything or anyone that was lower in status to them, however, Sephiroth was different. He made himself known to all human or non-human. He had a majestic presence about him and he was graceful, cunning, and also cruel. He killed for pleasure and he didn't care, but no one could do anything because true bloods were treated like royalty –no, they _**were **_royalty in a vampire's world.

After the True Bloods, came the Aristocratic Blood. The aristocratic blood was a lot less powerful that a pure blood's, but aristocratic blood could still use a limited amount of magic. The prince and the members of the council were all from the aristocratic bloodline. Because true bloods refused to govern over the vampire world, the ever greedy and power-hungry Aristocrats were left in charge of all the members of the night's inhabitants.

After the Aristocratic Blood came the Common Blood. Vampires with common blood only possessed physical strength, but no magic. Their bodies could heal fast and didn't age, but they weren't powerful at all. Common Bloods were followed by Cursed Bloods; or vampires whose transformation had led to massive physical deformities. The physical appearance of a Cursed Blood was so hideous that they couldn't blend into the regular population. Cursed Bloods lived in sewers, underground caves, forests, hell holes, and abandoned buildings. That was their accursed fate.

After Cursed Bloods, False Bloods came last in the hierarchy of things, but outside the common vampire bloodlines, ghouls were the humans that vampires used to do their bidding in the human world. Mystics were a separate category since they had very little physical strength but they were dangerous with their magic. Like true bloods, magicians from the Mystical Bloodline were also scarce, limited, and almost all insane. Magicians were very eccentric and flamboyant. They learnt their wisdom and magic from ancient tomes said to have been written by the first ancients themselves. These wise old women and men managed The Central Hall – a castle turned into a library. It was rumored that those from the Mystical Bloodline were also the keepers to the entire historical records. They had the most accurate historical documents to date.

But no matter what the lineage was, the current council could not allow a disregard for the laws they had so carefully created. A thin blooded vampire was not allowed to live, and the aristocratic vampires unanimously agreed on the young fledgling's fate.

_**

* * *

**_

…_**GUILTY**__…_

**T**he verdict echoed silent and undisputedly throughout the hall. The belief that no crime should go un-punished had staged the two innocent victims for a horrible and un-deserving sentence. The verdict was broadcasted to all vampires through thoughts so that everyone could see and hear it. The verdict of the Triad, who was comprised by the leaders of Aristocratic, the Common, and the Cursed bloodlines, had sentenced Axel and Roxas to the ultimate punishment –death.

Unable to use his voice for the trial, Axel silently wept. His eyes bled tears the color of red rubies and the exasperation in his delicate, pale features could not be matched. Axel's light green eyes gazed guiltily at Roxas' frightened blue ones. Axel was utterly sorry. He wished that nothing had ever happened. He was so, so sorry. He never should have fed Roxas his accursed blood. He had been staged by Xemnas who had given his consent to turn Roxas into a vampire. Axel wished he could apologize. He wished he could take everything back to the way it was before, but now it was all too late. Axel gave one last apologetic look to his lover before a heavy, sharp blade sliced through the blonde's delicate neck. Fluttery, smoky ashes consumed Roxas' body and welcomed him to a final and eternal slumber…

* * *

**T**ap, tap, tap, tap…

Feather-light footsteps echoed viciously with the silence of the night. Berserkers were stationed everywhere, Sorcerers were guarding every corner, and Gamblers were threatening to turn him into dice. Time was running out.

With great difficulty the hooded individual was able to exterminate the predator nobodies surrounding him. He had managed to slay the last of the heavy Berserkers, when a Sniper aimed his crossbow at him and fired a massive light arrow. At nine hundred years of age, the cloaked individual was considered a veteran and a seasoned fighter. He was ready for the Sniper's attack, and his weapon, Way to the Dawn, deflected the light arrow effortlessly.

…_Guys, you have to hold on. Fight! Do something, dammit! _

The hooded went as close as he could get to the gothic-structured theater. This was the perfect time to use _that_ spell. He had been warned not to fail because he only had two chances to make it out alive. In and out, that was the plan. His friend, a mystic, had given him two orbs of transportation spells.

"_This type of magic is very powerful."_ His friend had warned.

"_It takes years for it to be harnessed correctly, so please use it wisely because there are no margins for errors here."_

With that warning in mind, the stranger had set forth in his mission to rescue his friend and his friend's lover.

The mission he was carrying out was complicated and exhausting, the stranger fought valiantly, but now injured and at the limit of his power, the stranger had to risk everything in one reckless move. He had to be as close to the building as possible in order for the warp spell to work more accurately, but the security was terribly tight. Dusks were beginning to arrive and they had a terrible tendency of arriving by the hundreds.

The crystal orb was about to be released when the stranger felt a terribly sharp pain in his chest. Thanks to the psychic broadcast of the trial, the hooded figure knew that Roxas had been eliminated. His friend Axel was suffering, he was suffering indeed. And for a second, the warrior cursed a vampire's psychic connection. For a second, he coursed the deep bond he'd forged with Axel.

Vampires were supposed to be dead –forever cold, forever stoic. Vampires weren't supposed to have feelings. In fact, he didn't want to feel Axel's pain. He didn't want to be reminded of his own humanity. With newfound determination, the cloaked individual smashed the frail orb and teleported inside.

With the transportation orb released, and a bit of darkness, the stranger was able to focus and warp himself in-front of Axel in time to save him from the deathly sharp blade that came crushing down upon his neck. His mystic friend was right. It was harder to teleport inside, but it was much easier to teleport outside. Once the warrior was in front of axel, the mysterious vampire was able to quickly break the second orb in order to teleport to a much safer place.

_**

* * *

**_

**T**he shift in dimension, time, and space was excruciating as both individuals were suddenly transported to a safe heaven.

_**Thud.**_

Both men fell flat against the cobble stone floors of the enormous castle. The pain that both individuals felt due to the fast impact was nothing that their vampiric bodies couldn't heal at a fast rate. In their haste, the strangers had made a wish to return to a place where they knew safety would welcome them with open arms. Both men had wished to return to The Tower –the place they knew as Central Hall.

"_Shit…Fuck!"_

Axel got to his feet quickly. The magic that had been cast to subdue him for the trial was wearing off at an incredible speed. Yes, this was the secret dimension created by the mystics. Rarely anyone could access it for the exception of a few individuals. So it was true, The Tower did have restorative powers. Still, there was one pain that couldn't get healed so easily or so quickly. Axel dusted his clothes before lunging towards his friend.

"_**Fuck, Riku!"**_ Axel was angry. He was pissed.

He clutched the thick fabric of his friend's heavy, black coat. _"Why couldn't you save him! You are noting but a fuck'n bastard! You hear me!"_ Dark, red tears were beginning to well up on Axel's weary green eyes. _"Why didn't you help him? Some shitty friend you are!"_

Riku registered the sharp pain stinging his right cheek.

"_It should have been __**ME**__!_" Axel cried desperately. _**"ME!"**_

Riku touched the spot of aching flesh where Axel had punched him.

"_The least you could have done_…" Axel was saying in a reproachful, bitter tone "…_was to let me die with him_…"

_Clench…_

Something inside of Riku snapped, after going through all that trouble. Why was his friend, his ungrateful friend, accusing him of being idle? He had done all that he could to save them _both_.

_How dare him!_ Riku had little sympathy or patience for his friend's stupidity at the moment. Riku, usually a stoic vampire, could restrain himself no longer. He clenched his fists tightly and mustered enough strength to hit Axel square on the jaw.

"_Fuck You!_" Riku spat in a venomous tone.

"_You think it was easy! You think it was a piece of cake to get into that fortress to save your ungrateful ass!"_

Riku felt the anger well up inside of him. His anger was becoming a bursting volcano that he could hardly control. Riku, who often boasted absolute self-control, was now about to erupt. He clenched his fists tighter and let his friend have yet another punch.

"_Look, stop being a selfish idiot!_ _Did you ever consider that Roxas would rather sacrifice his life to save yours? He was __**my**__ friend too, you know! I tried to save you __**both**__!" _

Axel was livid, he was infuriated. The color of his face matched the color of his bright, red hair. Axel was angry and he needed an outlet. He tightened his hands into fists and launched at Riku a second time. Of course he could not forget! How could he forget that Roxas had been infatuated with Riku since the beginning?

"_Did you really try, Riku? Did you really try?" _

Axel punched Riku with all his strength. Yes, Riku had tried his best and they both knew it, but Axel wanted someone else to handle the share of the blame. He wanted an outlet from the pain that was overwhelming his supposedly dead heart. He wanted to flee from the pain that was crushing his already broken spirit.

"_You barbarous, dimwitted fools, what impropriety is this? Have you mistaken Central Hall for the Olympus Coliseum?"_

Meleficent's voice distracted both vampires from their brawl. Riku shoved Axel aside and scoffed._ "Who cares old hag." _Riku fixed his gleaming, silver hair. _"That idiot needs to blow off some serious steam."_

"_Remember this you idiotic buffoons. Central Hall is a sanctuary of vast knowledge. It was constructed by the most powerful and knowledgeable Mystics of all times. We do not appreciate the presence of ruffians and rouges in our castle." _

_Gee Wonderful. Great. Super. Riku thought._

Now the old witch Maleficent was going to get on their case.

* * *

_Ansem was dead. Ansem was finally dead. _

**E**ven if Sora's world was consumed by complete hatred and darkness, his drifting consciousness was free from all restraints. Sora had seen so many unfamiliar faces as his consciousness floated in that dark, empty void of nothingness.

_Is this a dream? _

Sora thought.

_Is any of this for real? Or not…_

It occurred to Sora that perhaps he had really died at the hands of these two sadistic men. He had struggled so hard in vain. He would never see his beloved Kairi. He would never see his friends Tidus, or Yuffie, or Tifa. Yes, he was dead and the people in his dreams were dead as well. That man had killed them all. The small brunette had witnessed so much pain and so much injustice in that mock trial. He had suffered an equal amount of pain, and it had all been _**their**_ fault.

_**Xemnas…**_

That name tasted bitter even in his thoughts.

_**Xemnas…**_

That name would haunt him forever.

_**Xemnas…**_

The memories of that night would corrode Sora's soul for all eternity.

_**Xemnas!**_

Sora's self tightened considerably. His heart ached so much it felt like it was about to burst into an explosion of flames and then into a billion tiny fragments. His blind ire ignited a tiny spark of electricity from within. The spark overwhelmed his body's senses. Just the thought of those two men was enough to fuel Sora's wrath into a massive shockwave that zapped him back to life.

_**Aaaaaarrrrggghhh!**_

Sora's painful and angry scream resonated through the metal container. The cold metal vibrated all around him like a rattled cage.

_**Aaaaaarrrrggghhh!**_

When Sora opened his eyes, he found himself in a small metal box. His movements were restrained and limited within that awful tiny place, yet he found himself punching and kicking the metal box with all his restrained might.

"HELP!" He yelled with exasperation. "I'M IN HERE."

"SOMEBODY! AYBODY! HELP!"

Sora kicked and screamed inside the narrow, prison-like box until it was bent out of shape.

"CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?"

Sora kicked, screamed, and punched some more until a small door popped opened and he slid automatically out of the tiny metal container.

Shock.

Sora found that he was naked upon a metal stretcher. There was an annoying tag hanging from his toe. He yanked the paper item and read the content. He had died a few days back and his body was in the waiting list for an autopsy.

_Gasp_.

Sora froze in mid-panic when he realized that he was in a morgue. He was in the same morgue that Tifa had been when they had identified her mutilated body. He recognized the tile! He recognized the structure of the room! He even recognized the same suffocating, burning scent of disinfectant!

…

Sora's mouth opened in a silent scream that refused to leave his parted lips. A different kind of pain smother his troubled heart, the stab he felt in his heart told him that he was dead to the rest of the world even if he was very much alive. He was dead to his parents and he was dead to his beloved Kairi. His brain reeled with the new scary thought. He had died that night in the arms of those sadistic men. He was dead –a part of him was dead. He knew it. He had died! But how could that be? Wasn't he there sitting upon the metal stretcher breathing and animate?

_No, no, no, no, __**NO**__!_

Sora did not pause to register his own movements. He felt scared, angry, and confused. He was not aware about his body's sudden movements. He hadn't realized that he had been stealing items from around the room. Suddenly he was clutching a very thick wallet in his small hands. Where he had obtained the coat and scrubs that he was now wearing was a mystery to him because he didn't really know. He did not realize that his own body was moving on pure instinct, but his small body had been moving on instinct mode for such a long time that he even considered the edginess as natural as breathing. Sora's movements had become sharper and more graceful even if he was not yet fully aware of the fluidity of his movements. The petite Sora scanned the room hastily one more time. He had ransacked all the basic items needed to survive including his files.

He made it to the hospital's exit without looking back. He ambled through the streets without direction. Somehow, the people on the streets bothered him. The closeness to other individuals made his skin crawl with disgust. The smells, the sounds, and the sights overwhelmed him and made him nauseous. Then, he realized that alleys were less crowded and more silent. That quietness comforted him, somewhat. He wandered though the alleys without really taking notice of where he was going, and on the first pile of burning trash that he encountered; Sora dumped his files into the fire and kept on going without looking back. A part of him had died on that fateful night at the hands of the most despicable monsters. He felt empty now and tired. He felt so, so exhausted, yet there was a drive inside of him that pushed him forward to a destination unknown. Nothing would ever be the same for Sora. A part of him was on the run now and he had no time to mourn for that which he had lost.

**To be continued.**

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Sorry if this chapter seems a bit messy, but after all this time of procrastination, I figured that if I didn't publish it now, I would never get to publish it at all.


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